Managing POTS and Heart Rate with Long COVID
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a form of dysautonomia frequently seen in Long COVID patients. It causes an abnormal increase in heart rate when moving from lying down to standing. Managing these spikes through heart rate monitoring and recumbent movement is essential to preventing Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM).
What is POTS in Long COVID?
POTS is a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions like heart rate and blood pressure. For many navigating Long COVID recovery, the body fails to properly constrict blood vessels when standing, causing the heart to overcompensate by beating faster.
Common symptoms include:
- Tachycardia: A racing heart rate upon standing or minimal exertion.
- Lightheadedness: Feeling faint or dizzy when changing positions.
- Palpitations: A visible or fluttering sensation in the chest.
- Exercise Intolerance: Feeling immediate exhaustion from tasks as simple as standing to brush your teeth.
Why Heart Rate Monitoring is Essential
In traditional fitness spaces, a higher heart rate and intensity is often seen as a goal. In Long COVID and POTS recovery, an unmanaged high heart rate acts as a major energy drainer. If your heart rate stays too high for too long, you risk pushing outside your energy envelope and triggering a multi-day crash.
Using a wearable device to track your heart rate allows you to:
- Identify Triggers: Discover which specific daily movements cause the highest spikes.
- Set Thresholds: Learn to stop and rest before your heart rate reaches a level that triggers PEM.
- Validate Symptoms: Use data to confirm that your fatigue is linked to a physiological cardiovascular response.
How Virtual Physical Therapy Helps
Treating POTS requires a specialized approach that differs from standard orthopedic care. At ReStory, we focus on:
- Recumbent Movement:Starting with movements performed while lying or sitting down to build strength without triggering orthostatic stress.
- Nervous System Regulation: Techniques to calm the fight-or-flight response and improve heart rate variability (HRV).
- Customized Pacing: Integrating heart rate data into your daily schedule so you can function without constant dizziness.
Virtual care is an ideal setting for POTS management because it allows you to learn these skills in the environment where you spend the most time. Dr. Arlyn Thobaben provides the oversight needed to ensure your movement plan supports your energy-limits and well-being.
Next Steps for Recovery
If you suspect you have POTS as part of your Long COVID journey, the first step is stabilization. Stop pushing through your dizziness and start tracking your heart rate during daily transitions.
Ready to stabilize your symptoms?
Read our full guide on Energy Pacing here or book a virtual consultation to start your personalized recovery plan.
